F 

M7B7 


r 


v 


THE  TORNADO 

OF 

1851, 

IN 

MEDFORD,  WEST  CAMBRIDGE  AND  WALTHAM, 

MIDDLESEX   COUNTY,   MASS. 


KEPORT  BY  REV.  CHARLES  BROOKS, 


REPORTS  BY  OTHER  COMMITTEES. 


BOSTON: 

J.  M,  USHER,   37   CORNHILL. 

1852. 


F7A 

n7B7 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1852, 

By  JAMES  M.  USHER, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


PREFACE. 


The  author  of  the  following  report  is  anxious 
to  state,  that  he  does'l^io'f  present  it  as  cm- 
bracing  every  fact,  but,  as  a  record  of  those 
facts  which  seemed  to  him  most  important. 
He  has  carefully  refrained  from  meddling  with 
any  theory,  as  such,  but  has  stated  facts  as  he 
found  them  immediately  after  the  event.  With 
regard  to  the  position  in  which  trees  were 
found  lying,  he  carefully  recorded  those  which 
seemed  to  be  exceptions  to  the  general  ap- 
pearances. 

C.B. 


Mi05275 


West  Medford,  August  2Sth,  1851. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  West  Medford^ 
called  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  propriety 
of  ascertaining  the  extent  of  the  damage  by  the  Tor- 
nado on  Friday  last,  Rev.  Charles  Brooks  called  the 
meeting  to  order,  and  Hon.  Edward  Brooks  was  cho- 
sen Chairman,  and  James  M.  Usher,  Secretary. 

After  remarks  by  Gorham  Brooks,  Esq.,  Be  v.  Chas, 
Brooks,  J.  M.  Usher  and  others,  it  was 

Voted,  That  a  Committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  appraise 
damages. 

Voted,  Gorham  Brooks,  Chas.  Caldwell,  Franklin  Patch, 
Albert  Smith,  and  Jeremiah  Gilson,  constitute  tfife  Com- 
mittee. 

Voted,  That  the  Committee  on  appraisal  be  instructed  to 
consider  the  circumstances  of  the  sufferers^  and  report  cases, 
(if  any,)  where  charity  is  deemed  necessary. 

Voted,  That  the  Committee  be  authorized  to  communicate 
with  similar  Committees  from  other  towns  in  relation  to  the 
publication  of  the  result  of  their  investigations. 

Voted,  That  Rev.  Chas.  Brooks  be  appointed  a  Committee 
to  collect  and  arrange  the  facts  in  reference  to  science. 

Voted,  To  adjourn. 

J.  M.  Usher,  Secretary, 

October  SOtJi.  A  meeting  was  called  to  hear  Re- 
ports from  the  Committees.  Rev.  Chas.  Brooks  sub- 
mitted his  Report,  and  it  was  accepted.  The  Com- 
mittee on  appraisal  made  their  Report,  which  was 
accepted,  and  the  Committee  was  instructed  to  ask 
liberty  of  the  town  to  have  it  spread  upon  the  records. 

Adjourned.  J.  M.  Usher,  Sec, 


THE  TORNADO. 


Requested  by  citizens  of  West  Medford 
to  collect  the  facts  relating  to  the  Tornado 
of  August  22d,  1851 ;  the  following  state- 
ments are  respectfully  submitted  as  a  brief 

REPORT. 

The  state  of  the  atmosphere  from  sunrise 
to  the  time  of  the  tornado,  on  August  22d, 
was  peculiar.  Many  spoke  of  a  dead  close- 
ness, a  remarkable  want  of  elasticity  in 
the  air.  Many,  complained  of  lassitude 
from  this  cause.  Clouds  gathered ;  and 
there  were  appearances  of  wind  approach- 
ing; but  it  did  not  come.  For  an  hour 
before  the  tornado,  there  was  here  almost  a 
perfect  calm  ;  yet  it  was  a  calm  prophetic 
1^ 


b  THK    TOKNaDO. 

ofj  we  kwbw  noi  what.  An  old  sea-cap- 
tain told  his  wife,  at  4  o'clock,  P.  M.,  that 
''  if  he  was  at  sea  he  should  expect  a  water- 
spout." 

Direction.  Coming  from  Waltham,  the 
central  line  of  march  seemed  to  be  from 
W.  S.  W.  to  E.  N.  E.,  till  it  reached  the 
western  edge  of  Medford  at  the  Mystic 
river,  near  the  ^'  Wear  bridge."  Here  it 
changed  its  direction  slightly,  and  moved 
from  W.  by  S.  to  E.  by  N.,  keeping  this  line 
to  the  edge  of  Maiden,  beyond  which  I  have 
not  traced  it.  From  a  hill  forty  or  fifty 
feet  high,  near  Fulton  street,  I  could  take  its 
centre  on  the  hills  of  West  Cambridge,  and 
found  it  S.  60°  W.,  or  nearly  W.^S.  W., 
while  its  centre  from  Fulton  street  to  the 
hill  in  West  Medford  was  W.  by  S.  exactly ; 
thus  showing  that  it  curved  slightly  towards 
the  east  at  its  passing  of  Mystic  river.  Af- 
ter taking  the  direction  at  Mystic  river, 
Lowell  R.  R.  depot.  Miss  Brooks'  hill,  Mr. 
Hall's  hill,  and  at  Fulton  Street,  the  result 
seems  to  be,  that  its  march  was  upon  a 
straight  hue. 


THE    TORNADO.  Z 

Centre.  I  use  the  word  centre  to  designate 
that  line  of  march  towards  which  objects, 
on  both  sides,  were  thrown.  Suppose  the 
tornado  had  been  in  the  shape  of  an  invert- 
ed cone,  revolving  round  a  perpendicular 
axis,  and  its  sharp  end  had  ploughed  a  fur- 
row in  the  earth  through  its  whole  course, 
I  should  call  this  furrow  the  central  line  of 
its  march^  or  its  centre.  I  use  the  word 
centre  in  this  sense.  To  discover  where  the 
centre  was  at  every  place  is  difficult ;  be- 
cause the  circumstances  in  certain  places  do 
not  allow  the  fixing  of  any  particular  line. 
At  such  places  I  noted  a  line  which  ranged 
W.  by  S.  and  E.  by  N.,  as  these  points  were 
clearly  determined  on  both  sides  of  the 
doubtful  spot.  Thus  taking  two  determin- 
ate centres,  half  a  mile  apart,  I  considered 
the  central  line  of  motion  the  straight  line 
between  these  two  ascertained  centres. 
There  is  an  impropriety  in  speaking  of  a 
central  line  as  wider  or  narrower  at  different 
places ;  though  the  position  in  which  ob- 
jects were  left  by  the  wind,  would  indicate 
that  the  area  of  action  on  the  centre  was 
not  uniformly  of  the  same  width.     Whether 


8  THE    TORNADO. 

the  forces  were  equal  at  the  same  elevations 
I  cannot  say,  but  presume  them  to  have 
been  so. 

Form.  All  who  saw  the  tornado  speak 
of  its  ^^form."  Whether  the  dust,  water 
and  other  materials  which  it  gathered  into 
its  bosom,  in  the  air,  gave  it  such  visible 
shape,  it  is  not  important  to  inquire.  To  some, 
who  watched  it  closely,  its  form  resembled 
a  tall,  wide-spreading  elm  tree.  To  others 
it  appeared  like  an  inverted  cone.  Sev- 
eral represent  it  as  a  dense  upright  column  ; 
and  a  few  as  having  some  resemblance 
to  an  hour-glass.  It  might  have  had  these 
forms  at  different  places  in  its  route,  or  it 
might  have  appeared  differently  at  the  same 
moment,  to  persons  looking  at  it  from  dif- 
ferent angles.  Some  who  watched  it  at 
right  angles  to  its  line  of  march,  and  some 
who  saw  it  from  elevated  points,  through 
four  or  five  miles  of  its  course,  concur  in  say- 
ing that  the  conical  point  let  down  from  the 
cloud  moved  about  at  short  distances,  now 
pushing  down  to  the  earth  and  now  rising 
from  it.    Its  side  motions  were  compared  to 


THE    TORNADO,  V 

those  of  an  elephant's  trunk.  This  action 
was  like  the  descending  tube  in  a  nearly 
completed  water-spout  at  sea. 

Width.  Measuring  on  the  line  S.  by  E. 
and  N.  by  W.,  which  is  at  right  angles 
to  the  central  line  of  motion,  I  took 
the  outer  southern  and  northern  edges, 
where  marks  of  violence  were  unequivo- 
cally left;  such  marks  as  the  breaking  of 
limbs  of  trees,  bending  of  fences,  prostrat- 
ing of  corn  or  unhinging  of  a  window-blind. 
At  Mystic  river  its  width  was  seventy-one 
rods ;  at  the  Lowell  R.  R.  depot,  sixty  rods. 
Between  these  places  it  moved  over  an  al- 
most perfect  level.  At  Miss  Brooks'  it  was 
fifty-four  rods  wide  ;  and  here  it  crossed  the 
hill  on  which  her  house  stands,  which  is 
•perhaps  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
river  at  low  tide.  At  Messrs.  Swan's  and 
Hall's  land,  at  the  "  meeting-house  brook," 
it  was  seventy-six  rods.  Here  it  moved 
over  a  small  valley.  In  Mrs.  Porter's  wood- 
lot  it  was  fifty- six  rods.  At  Dr.  Kidder's 
on  Andover  turnpike  it  was  fifty-four 
rods.     At  Fulton  street  I  could  not  ascer- 


10  THE    T    RNADO. 

tain  its  width  with  perfect  accuracy,  but 
think  it  was  not  much  over  forty  rods. 

Connected  with  the  subject  of  width  is 
this  fact ; — that,  in  several  places  the  dis- 
tance from  the  centre  to  the  outer  southern 
edge  is  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five  rods 
further  than  from  the  centre  to  the  northern 
edge.  At  one  place  the  ravages  on  each 
side  were  nearly  equidistant  from  the  cen- 
tre ;  but  in  all  the  other  cases  of  measure- 
ment, the  statement  above  was  verified. 

Another  fact  connected  with  the  subject 
of  width  is  this, — that  it  seemed  to  dart  off 
on  each  side,  at  unusual  distances,  and  do 
violence  in  a  narrow-pathed  excursion ; — 
or,  rather  (to  speak  more  intelligibly)  there 
seemed  to  be  some  strata  of  air,  on  its  outer 
borders,  more  ready  to  rush  in  toward  the 
central  line  of  march  than  contiguous  stra- 
ta. This  is  shown  many  times  in  orchards, 
where  rows  of  trees  stood  at  right  angles,  or 
nearly  so,  to  the  central  line  ;  some  entire 
rows  were  prostrated,  while  their  nearest 
neighbors  on  each  side  remained  unmoved. 
The  violence,  in  these   narrow  pencils  of 


THE    TORNADO.  11 

wind,  seems  to  have  been  as  great  twenty- 
rods  fronn  the  centre  as  it  was  within  two 
or  three  rods.  This  rush  of  wind  in  veins, 
from  the  outer  edges  to  the  centre,  is  marked 
over  the  whole  route.  It  reminds  one  of 
flashing  pencils  of  electricity. 

Speed.  The  agitation  of  mind  in  those 
persons,  who  were  within  reach  of  the  tor- 
nado and  felt  its  power,  was  too  great  and 
lasting  to  enable  them  to  measure  its  velo- 
city with  reliable  precision.  If  an  individ- 
ual on  '^  Prospect  Hill''  had  seen  it  through 
five  or  ten  miles  of  its  march,  such  an  indi- 
vidual might  guess  at  the  speed  with  the 
best  chance  of  accuracy;  but,  after  all,  it 
could  be  only  a  guess.  A  few  facts  may  help 
us  in  guessing.  Mr.  West,  who  was  build- 
ing a  house  for  Mr.  Haskins,  saw  it  coming 
from  West  Cambridge,  and  watched  it  with 
anxiety.  As  soon  as  he  saw  it  destroy  the 
new  house  west  of  the  Lowell  R.  R.  depot, 
he  sprang  out  of  the  house  where  he  was, 
and  ran,  as  he  says,  ''  for  his  life,"  to  shel- 
ter himself  behind  a  wall  only  five  rods  dis- 
tant from  the  place  where  he  started.     He 


12  THE    TORNADO. 

had  scarcely  got  to  his  sheUer  when  the 
house  he  had  left  was  entirely  destroyed. 
He  thinks  there  could  not  have  been  over 
five  or  six  seconds  between  the  faUing  of 
the  two  buildings.  I  was  in  my  sister's 
house  at  the  time  ;  saw  it  but  an  instant 
before  it  struck  the  house.  I  rushed  to  lock 
the  front  door,  and  at  the  moment  we  felt 
the  first  shock,  I  cried  out  violently  to  the 
family,  that  "  all  was  over."  I  opened  the 
door  and  sprang  upon  the  bank  over  which 
its  centre  had  just  passed  and  looked  for  it. 
It  had  gone  at  least  a  mile  before  I  could 
reach  the  place,  though  the  distance  from 
the  house  was  not  three  rods.  It  seemed  to 
me  but  a  breath  of  time ;  and  now,  after  re- 
viewing the  facts,  I  cannot  persuade  myself 
that  its  speed  at  that  place  was  less  than 
fifty  miles  per  hour. 

Power.  They,  who,  like  us,  were  in  it, 
and  have  seen  its  terrible  ravages,  need  not 
be  told  that  it  exhibited  a  power  in  the 
elements  never  witnessed  by  the  oldest  in- 
habitant of  this  region.  Houses  strongly 
built  were  demolished,  as  if  they  had  been 


THE    TORNADO.  18 

made  of  paper.  Oak  and  walnut  and  cedar 
trees,  of  the  largest  growth,  were  entirely- 
uprooted,  some  of  them  snatched  out  of  the 
ground  and  carried  through  long  distances ; 
roofs  of  buildings  taken  up,  as  by  sudden 
suction,  and  carried  into  the  embrace  of  the 
cloud,  and  transported  for  miles.  The  roof 
of  Miss  Brooks'  house  was  seen  to  go  thus ; 
and  although  every  beam  and  rafter  went 
with  it,  we  have  not  yet  been  able  to  find 
even  a  shingle  of  it,  though  we  have  search- 
ed through  three  miles.  Its  action  upon  the 
grass  and  corn  was  remarkable.  It  not 
only  prostrated  them,  but  partly  buried 
them  in  the  earth.  The  fields  in  this  re- 
spect looked  as  if  a  heavy  roller  had  passed 
over  them. 

Its  action  upwards  was  yet  more  remark- 
able. No  one  saw  any  object  driven  down- 
ward by  it;  but  all  testify  to  its  taking 
things  wp.  To  name  a  few  instances.  Shin- 
gles and  boards  and  rafters  and  slates, 
which  are  known  to  have  belonged  to  cer- 
tain houses,  were  found  two  or  three  miles 
from  the  places.  A  tree  of  very  large  size 
in  Miss  Brooks'  orchard,  was  decapitated  ; 
2 


14 


THE    TORNADO. 


the  trunk  now  stands  erect,  but  the  top  was 
taken  up  and  carried  oiF  and  never  has  been 
found.  So  there  are  instances,  in  every  lo- 
caUty-j  of  objects  taken  up  and  transported 
through  great  distances.  One  witness  says 
she  saw  the  large  barn,  owned  by  Miss 
Brooks,  rise  in  the  air  and  then  fall  in  ruins. 
There  is  evidence  yet  remaining  that  this 
large  barn,  built  of  heavy  timber  and  plank, 
was  taken  up  and  then  carried  fifteen  feet 
before  it  was  torn  to  pieces.  Many  build- 
ings were  moved  in  a  similar  manner.  A 
freight  car,  which  was  standing  upon  the 
side  track  of  the  Lowell  R.  R.  near  the 
depot,  was  driven  upon  that  track  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  feet,  and  then  taken  up 
and  carried  sixty  feet  E.  nearly  at  right  an- 
gles to  the  track.  At  Doct.  Kidder's  a  thick, 
strong  brick  wall  was  thrown  down  ten  feet 
from  its  foundation  ;  some  of  the  bricks 
carried  to  a  great  distance.  A  pine  tree  ten 
inches  in  diameter,  was  broken  off*,  then 
carried  some  hundred  feet  into  the  air,  and 
then  thrown  through  the  roof  and  window 
of  Doct.  K.'s  house.  His  lightning  rods 
were  much  bent. 


THE    TORNADO.  15 

Another  trace  of  power,  left  behind  by 
the  tornado,  is  seen  in  the  small  fragments 
into  which  it  shattered  every  fragile  thing. 
It  seemed  to  act  upon  a  building  as  a  mill 
grinds  whatever  is  put  into  it.  If  every 
square  foot  of  atmosphere  in  the  column 
had  been  armed  with  a  steel  tooth,  and  the 
buildings  and  trees,  which  went  into  it, 
could  have  passed  through  it,  it  could  not 
have  shivered  them  to  smaller  pieces.  I 
leave  to  poets  to  describe  the  powers  and 
terrors  of  this  phenomenon,  while  to  me  it 
seems  like  a  large  storm  intensified.  The 
winds  which,  if  spread  over  two  hundred 
miles,  would  have  made  a  severe  storm 
throughout  that  extent,  seemed  concentrated 
within  as  many  yards. 

Direction  in  which  trees  and  vegetables 
WERE  THROWN.  With  regard  to  this  part  of 
the  subject,  I  would  state,  as  the  general 
fact^  that  there  was  uniformity  in  the  direc- 
tions in  which  objects  were  thrown.  Under 
similar  circumstances  similar  appearances 
exhibit  themselves.  For  example — with 
respect  to  trees ;  they  which  were  standing 


16  THE    TORNADO. 

in  the  centre  of  the  hne  of  march,  suppos- 
ing that  centre  to  be  a  hne  running  W.  by  S. 
and  E.  by  N.,  he  coincident  with  that  hne. 
They,  which  were  nearest  to  this  Hne  on 
each  side  of  it  He  nearly  pareUel  with 
it,  but  not  exactly.  They  on  the  north 
side  of  the  centre  point  to  spaces  between 
E.  by  N.  and  E.,  while  they  on  the  south 
side  point  to  spaces  between  E.  by  N. 
and  E.  N.  E.  They  on  the  north  side, 
which  are  further  yet  from  the  centre, 
and  next  to  those  last  mentioned,  point 
to  spaces  between  E.  and  E.  S.  E.,  while 
the  corresponding  ones,  on  the  south  side, 
point  to  spaces  between  E.  N.  E.  and  N. 
E.  They  which  are  further  still  from 
the  centre,  on  the  north  side,  lie  pointing  to 
spaces  between  E.  S.  E.  and  S.  E.  by  S., 
while  they  in  corresponding  distances,  on 
the  south  side,  lie  pointing  to  spaces  between 
N.  E.  and  N.  by  E.  They,  on  the  north 
side,  which  are  furthest  from  the  centre,  lie 
pointing  to  spaces  between  S.  E.  by  S.  and 
S.  by  E.,  while  they  at  similar  distances  from 
the  centre,  on  the  south  side,  lie  pointing  to 


THE    TORNADO.  17 

spaces  between  N.  by  E.  and  N.  by  W. 
Those  trees  which  lie  pointing  S.  by  E.  and 
N.  by  W.  He  at  right  angles  to  the  central 
line  of  march,  and  of  course  lie  pointing 
in  exactly  opposite  directions.  Nine-tenths 
of  the  trees  prostrated  by  the  tornado,  lie 
in  the  positions  above  designated.  They, 
which  are  not  directly  upon  the  central  line, 
lie  pointing  to  that  line.  This  is  true  of 
the  trees  and  shrubs  and  corn  and  grass  up 
to  90°  distant  from  the  point  E,  by  N., 
on  each  side ;  and  there,  at  90°  from  that 
point,  they  stop ;  all  being  included  within 
E.  by  N.  and  S.  by  E.  on  one  side,  and 
within  E.  by  N.,  and  N.  by  W.  on  the 
other  ! 

The  above  statements  record  the  general 
facts  respecting  the  directions  in  which  trees 
and  other  vegetables  were  thrown  by  the 
tornado.  It  seems  as  if  a  vacuum  had 
travelled,  (if  we  can  say  so,)  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  from  W.  by  S.  to  E.  by  N., 
and  the  wind  had  rushed  in  with  violence, 
not  only  behind  it,  but  on  each  side  towards 
2* 


18  THE    TORNADO. 

its  central  line  of  motion,  prostrating  the 
trees  in  the  manner  above  stated. 

Of  the  remaining  one-tenth  part  of  the 
trees  and  objects,  thrown  about  by  the  tor- 
nado, a  very  different  statement  must  be 
made.  The  following  facts  carefully  veri- 
fied, as  the  others  were,  by  personal  exam- 
ination, seem  to  contradict  them  all.  Those 
trees  and  objects  are  selected,  which  most 
clearly  show  the  course  of  the  wind  at  the 
places  signalized ;  and  which  seemed  most 
important  for  ilhistrating  all  the  phenomena. 
The  direction  in  which  trees  lie  are  not 
given  in  degrees,  presuming  that  the  minute 
divisions,  named  in  the  compass,  would 
express  the  facts  with  sufficient  accu- 
racy. 

Beginning  at  Mystic  river,  near  the  ^  Wear 
bridge,"  we  find  many  trees  prostrate.  On 
the  bank  of  the  river  lie  four  large  apple 
trees  pointing  thus  :  1st,  Three  rods  north  of 
the  central  line  of  march,  points  E.  by  N. 
2d.,  Three  and  a  half  rods  south  of  centre, 
points  E.  N.  E.  3d,  EiglU  and  a  half  rods 
south  of  centre,  N.  E.  4th,  Fifteen  and  a 
half  rods  south  of  centre,  N.   E.  by   E. 


THE    TORNADO.  19 

Another  apple  tree,  eighteen  rods  south  of 
the  centre  and  not  far  from  the  river,  and 
being  the  outside  tree  in  that  latitude,  Hes 
pointing  E.  N.  E.  In  the  same  orchard  a 
large  apple  tree,  at  the  centre,  (if  I  fixed 
that  point  rightly,)  lies  pointing  N.  E.  by  E. 
One  and  a  half  rod  N.  E.  by  E.  from  this, 
lies  another  large  apple  tree  N.  E.  by  E. 
One  rod  exactly  N.  of  this  last,  lies  an  apple 
tree  broken  at  the  ground  and  not  rooted  up, 
pointing  exactly  E.,  its  head  under  the  head 
of  its  neighbor  !  A  large  walnut  tree  about 
twenty-five  rods  north  of  centre,  points  S.  S. 
E. ;  while  a  double  apple  tree,  eleven  and  a 
half  rods  south  of  it,  points  due  S.  In  the 
same  orchard  an  apple  tree,  twenty-four 
rods  south  of  centre,  points  N.  E.  by  E. 
Another  large  apple  tree,  eight  rods  south  of 
centre,  points  N.  E.,  while  another  apple 
tree,  near  by  and  at  the  centre,  points  N.  E. 
by  E. ;  and  a  cherry  tree,  sixteen  rods  S.  of 
centre,  points  S.  E.  by  E.  In  this  locality 
there  are  instances  of  trees  lying  N.  E.  by  N. 
and  E.  N.  E.,  though  not  more  than  one  or 
two  rods  apart ;  trees  moreover  of  nearly 
the  same  size.    In  this  district,  also,  through 


20  THE  TORNADO. 

a  field  of  seventy-five  acres,  stand  apple 
trees  unmoved  and  uninjured,  while  all  their 
nearest  neighbors  lie  prostrate  and  broken. 
In  this  same  level  field  is  a  high  wooden 
bridge  crossing  the  Middlesex  canal,  and 
exposed  apparently  to  the  full  sweep  of  the 
gust,  which  was  not  moved  or  injured. 
More  wonderful  yet;  at  the  side  of  this 
bridge  is  a  small  wooden  bath-house,  so 
light  that  three  men  might  carry  it  away, 
and  so  frail  that  one  might  think  that  a 
Chinese  fan  applied  with  energy  might  blow 
it  over,  this  building  stands  untouched, 
though  nearer  the  centre  than  is  the  bridge. 

Near  the  Lowell  R.  R.  depot  the  tornado 
seemed  to  narrow  its  action  and  increase  its 
violence.  A  tree  there,  two  and  a  half  rods 
from  centre,  points  E.  S.  E.,  while  in  the 
same  range  another  tree,  of  same  size,  and 
five  and  a  quarter  rods  from  centre,  points 
S.  E.  by  S.,  which  is  almost  at  a  right  an- 
gle to  the  centre. 

In  Miss  Brooks'  garden  the  trees,  to  the 
number  of  fifty  or  more,  lie  according  to  the 
general  statement  made  at  first,  with  one  or 
two  exceptions.     A  locust  tree,  nine  and  a 


THE    TORNADO.  21 

quarter  rods  from  centre,  points  N.  W., 
while  a  cherry  tree  that  lies  upon  it,  points 
S.  S.  E.  One  rod  south  of  centre,  a  cherry- 
tree  points  N.  E.  by  E.  Twenty-eight  rods 
north  of  centre  stands  the  trunk  of  the 
large  apple  tree,  before  noticed,  whose  top 
went  up  leaving  few  marks  of  violence  in 
the  part  which  remains. 

In  Mr.  Alfred  Brooks'  garden,  three  or 
four  rods  north  of  the  centre,  within  a  cir- 
cle whose  diameter  is  thirty-five  feet,  lie  six 
trees  thus, — three  point  E.  N.  E. ;  one  E. ; 
one  S.  E.  by  S. ;  and  one,  which  is  fifteen 
feet  N.  of  the  others,  S.  by  W. 

In  Mr.  Swan's  field,  near  ''meeting-house 
brook,"  four  elm  trees  stood  in  a  row  upon 
a  line  running  nearly  E.  and  W.  The  most 
western  tree  was  the  smallest,  and  they  in- 
creased  in  size  as  they  stood  nearer  to  the 
E.  The  last  one  was  three  feet  in  diameter, 
three  feet  from  the  ground ;  and  it  contains, 
I  should  judge,  eight  cords  of  wood.  It  was 
further  from  the  W.  than  any  of  its  neigh- 
bors by  twenty  feet,  arid  yet  it  fell  before  any 
of  them,  and  it  fell  in  a  direction  very  dif- 
ferent from  any  of  them.     These  elms  were 


22  THE    TORNADO. 

not  far  from  the  centre,  yet  the  eastern  one 
and  the  largest  fell  pointing  N.  by  W.,  while 
the  next  one  west  of  it,  which  was  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter  and  twenty  feet  distant, 
fell  pointing  E.  N.  E.  Its  body  lies  upon 
the  roots  of  the  great  elm.  Another,  twenty 
feet  W.  of  the  last,  points  E.,  and  lies  over 
the  lowest  part  of  the  trunk  of  the  great 
elm.  The  last  and  smallest  fell  pointing  E. 
Here  we  see  four  large  elms,  which  stood  in 
a  row  running  E.  and  W.  all  prostrated  ; 
the  one  farthest  from  the  place  whence 
the  tornado  came  falls  towards  the  N., 
while  the  other  three  lie  upon  it  and  fell 
towards  the  E.  The  elm  next  to  the  large 
one  fell  before  its  western  neighbor,  and 
the  most  western  fell  last.  Two  and  a 
quarter  rods  S.  E.  by  S.  from  the  great  elm, 
an  apple  tree  points  N.  E.  Thus  within  a 
circle,  whose  diameter  is  less  than  four  rods, 
we  find  five  trees,  thus  placed  by  the  wind. 
These  trees  were  in  a  gentle  valley  and  no 
high  lands  near. 

In  Mr.  P.  C.  Hall's  ^orchard,  which  is  in 
the  same  valley  and  not  more  than  twenty 
rods  distant  from  the  great  elm,  there  was 


THE    TORNADO.  23 

great  diversity  in  the  position  of  the  trees. 
A  large  apple  tree,  fifteen  rods  N.  of  centre, 
points  S.  S.  W.  Several  trees  in  a  row  N. 
of  centre  lie  pointing  S.  E.  by  S.  Some  of 
these  are  within  one  rod  of  centre,  while 
others  distant  from  them  not  more  than  a 
a  rod  W.  or  E.,  lie  pointing  E.  by  S.  Five 
and  six  rods  S.  S.  E.  from  the  last  men- 
tioned, and  three  rods  S.  of  centre,  lies  an 
apple  tree  N.  N.  E.  A  large  apple  tree, 
three  and  a  half  S.  of  centre,  lies  N.  by  E. ; 
while  another  apple  tree,  only  two  and  a 
half  rods  S.  W.  by  S.  from  it,  hes  S.  S.  W., 
which  direction  is  nearly  the  reverse  of  the 
last  mentioned.  Ten  and  a  half  rods  N.  E. 
from  the  last  named  apple  tree  lies  another 
S.  S.  E.  Five  and  three  quarter  rods  E. 
from  this  last  lies  an  apple  tree  N.  W.  Five 
and  a  half  rods  E.  N.  E.  from  this  lies  an 
apple  tree,  S.  E.  by  S.,  which  is  almost  di- 
rectly opposite  the  last  mentioned.  Seven 
and  a  half  rods  south  of  this  lie  four  large 
trees  about  E.  N.  E.  All  these  trees  with 
their  remarkable  differences  of  position,  lie 
within  an  acre  of  land. 

In  the  wood  lot  of  Mrs.  Porter,  which 


24  THE    TORNADO. 

may  be  half  a  mile  or  less  from  Mr.  Hall's 
orchard,  we  find  a  willow  tree  four  feet  in 
diarneter,  the  largest  in  diameter  of  all  the 
tree3  prostrated  by  the  tornado,  pointing  N. 
by  E.,  while  another  willow  of  equal  size, 
only  four  rods  west  of  it,  stands  unmoved 
a?)d  almost  unbroken.  Both  these  trees  are 
nearly  upon  the  central  line  of  march,  and 
both  in  a  small  valley  equally  exposed. 
Ttiree  and  a  half  rods  N.  E.  from  the  stand- 
ing willow  lies  a  large  cedar  pointing  W. 

byN. 

Following  the  track  of  the  wind,  we  find 
jn  the  eastern  part  of  Mrs.  Porter's  lot,  sev- 
eral trees  lying  in  very  varying  positions. 
Ten  rods  north  of  centre  lies  a  large  cedar 
pointing  W.  Covering  the  roots  of  this  lie 
two  cedars  pointing  S.  E.  by  S.  Near  this 
group  lie  nine  cedars  all  in  much  of  the  like 
diversity.  In  the  same  neighborhood,  at  or 
near  the  centre,  within  a  circle  whose  di- 
ameter is  four  rods,  lie  large  cedars,  as  fol- 
lows : — No  1,  apparently  at  the  centre,  lies 
N.  W.  exactly.  At  its  base  lie  three  smaller 
cedars  E.  by  S.,  which  is  almost  in  an  op- 
posite direction.     The  trunks  of  these  trees 


THE    TORNADO.  S^ 

were  not  more  than  four  feet  apart,  when 
standing.  A  low  wall'  separated  the  three 
smaller  trees  from  the  larger.  Here  we  see 
four  trees  standing  together ;  one  is  thrown 
nearly  W.,  and  the  others  thrown  nearly  E. 
They  were  not  far  from  the  same  height. — 
No.  2.  Three  rods  N.  N.  W. ;  from  the  last 
mentioned  group  lies  a  large  cedar  E.  S.  E. 
— No.  3.  Another  cedar  whose  trunk,  when 
standing  was  only  six  feet  from  No.  2,  lies 
E.  N.  E. — No.  4.  One  and  three  quarter 
rod  N.  of  No.  3,  lies  a  large  cedar  S.  W, 
almost  the  opposite  of  No.  3. — No.  5.  Two 
and  three  quarter  rods  N.  E.  of  No.  3,  lies  a 
large  cedar  pointing  W.  exactly. 

In  Mr.  Dudley  Hall's  wood  lot  most  of 
the  trees  lie  pointing  to  the  central  line  of 
march,  according  to  the  general  statement. 
They  lie  at  angles  more  or  less  acute,  ac- 
cording to  their  nearness  to  that  centre.  At 
this  place  lies  a  large  cedar,  five  and  three 
quarter  rods  S.  from  centre,  which  is  twisted 
just  half  round.  The  twist  is  from  the  S. 
towards  the  E.  and  from  the  E.  towards  the 
N.  just  half  a  revolution.  It  fell  upon  a 
high  and  heavy  wall,  which  was  leaning 
3 


26  THE    TORNADO. 

against  its  trunk.  It  points  N.  N.  E.  A 
tall  button  wood  tree,  one  and  a  quarter  rod 
E.  from  the  twisted  cedar,  lies  E.  Near  by- 
lies  a  very  large  cedar  pointing  N.  E.  by  E. ; 
it  fell  across  a  wall,  and  its  trunk  is  split 
lengthwise,  for  several  feet,  into  twenty  or 
thirty  layers ;  but  it  is  not  twisted  in  the 
least.  In  this  lot  stands  the  oldest  and 
largest  oak  tree  in  Medford.  It  had  little  or 
no  head  to  lose,  or  the  tornado  would  have 
decapitated  it.  Though  standing  on  a  hill 
and  near  the  centre  it  remains  unmoved. 
Just  beyond  it  easterly  is  a  steep  descent  into 
a  small  valley,  twenty  feet  deep  perhaps. 
This  valley  was  filled  with  oaks,  walnuts, 
cedars,  &c.  Most  of  them  were  uprooted ; 
while  smaller  trees,  which  stood  more  ex- 
posed upon  the  hill,  escaped  unhurt.  Some 
of  these  trees  lie  in  remarkable  positions. 
A  large  cedar,  not  far  from  centre,  lies  N.  by 
W.  Six  feet  N.  by  W.  from  the  last  men- 
tioned, lies  another  large  cedar  E.  N.  E. 
Three  feet  N.  by  W.  from  this  last,  lies 
another  large  cedar  exactly  E. 

After  this  havoc  in  the  valley,  the  tornado 
passed  over   fifty   or   sixty   rods   of   deep 


THE    TORNADO.  27 

woods,  prostrating  only  here  and  there  a 
tall  tree,  and  apparently  not  moving  the 
many  standing  by  their  sides. 

At  Doct.  Kidder's  the  trees  lie  mostly  ac- 
cording to  the  general  statement.  In  Mr. 
Page's  grounds  next  to  Andover  turnpike, 
an  immense  elm  tree,  not  far  from  the  centre, 
lies  N.  E.  by  N.  A  cherry  tree,  near  the 
road  and  about  at  the  centre,  lies  E.  by  S., 
while  two  and  three  quarter  rods  E.  S.  E. 
from  said  cherry  tree,  lies  an  apple  tree,  N. 
exactly. 

Following  the  track  E.  by  N.,  from  this 
place  the  usual  appearances  exhibit  them- 
selves. Here  and  there  it  seemed  to  dip 
down  and  do  its  work  of  ruin,  and  then  rise 
and  go  over  acres  doing  little  or  no  in- 
jury. 

At  the  point  where  it  crossed  Fulton 
street,  its  width  seemed  less  than  at  any 
previous  place,  and  its  violence  less  diffu- 
sive. Striking  the  steep  hill,  at  the  E.  of 
the  road,  it  selected  some  large  cedars,  and 
a  very  large  walnut  tree  and  prostrated 
them  entirely.  At  this  place  I  found  some 
exceptions  to  the  truth  of  the  general  state- 


28  THE  TORNADO. 

Qnent.  Among  these  exceptions  to  the  gen- 
eral position  of  the  prostrate  trees,  there  are 
some  remarkable  instances.  But  there  is  a 
cedar  upon  the  hill,  which  lies  E.  by  N., 
and  being  at  the  centre,  lies  according  to 
the  general  statement ;  while  another  cedar, 
one  and  a  quarter  rods  N.  of  this,  lies  W. 
N.  W.  Two  and  a  quarter  rods  N.  of  this 
last,  lies  a  cedar  only  5°  S.  of  W.  Two 
rods  S.  of  the  cedar,  first  named  upon  the 
hill,  lies  a  large  oak  N.  E.  by  N. 

In  the  forest,  eighty  rods  E.  from  Fulton 
street,  it  prostrated  six  or  eight  very  large 
trees,  of  oak  and  locust,  and  they  all  lie  on 
the  N.  of  the  centre,  pointing  nearly  N.  N.  W. 
Near  them,  in  a  S.  S.  W.  direction,  lies  a 
large  tree  pointing  N.  E.  by  E.  Here  in 
a  dense  forest,  only  a  few  trees  were 
prostrated,  while  hundreds  immediately  be- 
side them  remain  untouched.  It  selected 
some  of  the  loftiest  oaks,  only  breaking  off 
the  tops  of  some,  though  generally  uproot- 
ing them  entirely. 

The  track  of  the  tornado  from  Miss 
Brooks'  to  Fulton  street,  was  over  an  un- 
even, but  not  hilly  surface.     None  of  the 


THE    TORNADO.  2§ 

elevations  are  more  than  twenty-five  or 
thirty  feet.  Part  of  the  territory  was  open 
and  cleared  land  and  part  was  well  wooded. 

Direction  in  which  buildings  were  thrown. 
The  directions  in  which  buildings  were 
thrown  were  according  to  the  general  state- 
ment^ before  made,  if  we  confine  that  state- 
ment to  large  masses.  With  regard  to  small 
objects  the  remark  does  not  hold  good. 

In  the  tossing  about  of  roofs  and  the  sides 
of  buildings,  in  the  air,  it  is  to  be  considered 
that  the  wind  must  act  upon  them  some- 
what diff'erently  from  what  it  does  upon  a 
tree.  Roofs,  boards,  shingles,  slates,  &c., 
present  wide  and  compact  surfaces  ;  and  if 
their  parts  hold  together,  they  might  be 
driven  by  a  controlling  force  on  one  side, 
which  would  shoot  them  in  very  different 
directions,  and  sometimes  force  them  far 
from  the  line  which  a  small  and  round  body 
would  be  compelled  to  take.  The  direc- 
tion in  which  trees  and  chimneys  lie,  at 
any  place,  would  more  accurately  indicate 
the  exact  course  of  the  wind  at  that  place, 
than  the  direction  in  which  rpofs  or  slates 
3# 


30  THE    TORNADO. 

could.  A  tree,  which  is  thrown  down  and 
yet  held  by  its  roots,  will  indicate  the  exact 
direction  in  which  the  prostrating  power 
acted ;  as  the  position  of  a  ship  at  anchor 
in  tide  waters  will  indicate  the  exact  course 
of  the  current.  The  zig-zag  pitchings  of  a 
flat,  extended  surface,  in  a  high  wind,  may 
be  seen  in  a  boy's  kite,  when,  high  in  air,  it 
happens  to  lose  its  tail.  By  its  descent,  af- 
ter such  a  loss,  who  could  tell  exactly  which 
way  the  wind  blew  ? 

The  roof  of  Mr.  Sanford's  shed,  at  the 
Lowell  R.  R.  depot,  though  a  few  feet  north 
of  the  centre,  was  thrown  twenty-five  or 
thirty  feet  N.  E.,  and  rested  at  the  foot  of  a 
tree  which  pointed  E.  by  S.  The  roof  of 
Mr.  Pierpont's  house,  though  six  rods  N.  of 
the  centre,  was  carried  towards  the  centre 
with  such  violence  as  to  shoot  it  beyond 
that  centre  nearly  five  rods,  and  it  rested  at 
the  foot  of  a  prostrate  tree,  which  pointed 
E.  N.  E.  The  slates  from  this  roof  were 
separated  from  it  probably  while  at  its 
greatest  elevation,  and  at  that  moment,  be- 
ing near  the  centre,  they  were  broken  and 
cayried  as  destructive  missiles  in  every  di- 


THE    TORNADO.  iSl 

rigction.  I  found  some  of  them  a  mile  dis- 
tant from  their  starting  point.  Beams  and 
rafters  of  large  size  were  carried  in  the  air 
to  great  distances;  and  whenever  any  such 
object  acquired  a  momentum  sufficient  to 
force  it  out  from  the  bosom  of  the  torna- 
do, it  fell  with  exceeding  violence,  penetrat- 
ing buildings  and  breaking  off  large  trees. 
The  direction  in  which  such  beams  were 
thrown  to  the  earth  would  indicate  the  di- 
rection of  the  wind  at  the  place  where  they 
descended,  but  might  not  show  its  direction 
at  the  place  where  they  were  first  taken  up. 

Miscellaneous  Items.  There  were  many 
who  thought  that  the  apples  lying  upon  the 
ground  at  the  time,  were  baked  on  tlieir 
south  side  by  the  heat  in  the  wind.  That 
most  apples,  so  situated  among  us,  were 
found  so  baked  is  true;  but  whether  the 
sun  had  not  previously  done  this,  according 
to  his  usual  action  in  a  mid-summer  drought, 
is  what  we  leave  others  to  decide.  No  one 
who  was  in  the  wind  felt  any  baking  heat 
during  its  passage.  If  there  had  been  heat, 
sufficient  to  bake  apples  to  the  extent  as- 


32  THE    TORNADO. 

serted,  that  heat  must  have  scorched  tfte 
leaves  and  grass,  and  would  probably  have 
set  fire  to  hay  or  shavings. 

Whirl.  I  find  but  one  tree  twisted  by 
the  wind,  and  that  is  a  large  cedar,  five  and 
three  quarter  rods  south  of  centre,  and  it 
lies  pointing  N.  N.  E.  It  was  south  of  a 
large  wall,  in  contact  with  which  it  stood 
and  across  which  it  fell.  It  is  twisted 
just  half  a  revolution.  Whether  the  fall- 
ing of  trees  next  it,  or  trees  thrown  out 
of  the  tornado,  or  any  such  cause,  could 
have  given  it  the  whirling  motion,  it  is  im- 
possible to  say.  No  evidence  of  any  such 
forcible  action  upon  it  is  discoverable.  It 
was  a  tall  tree,  but  not  so  tall  as  the  but- 
ton woods,  three  or  four  rods  east  of  it, 
which  stood  equally  exposed.  Throughout 
the  track  in  Medford  I  find  no  evidence  of  a 
rotary  motion  in  the  force  which  prostrated 
the  buildings,  trees,  &c.  There  may  have 
been,  in  the  moving  cloud,  a  swift  and  con- 
stant motion,  round  a  perpendicular  centre  ; 
but  this  revolving  whirlwind  did  not  blow 
down  the  trees  an(}  qorn.     If  it  had  done 


THE    TORNADO.  33 

SO,,  the  trees  and  com  would  have  lain  in 
curves  and  circles  corresponding  to  the  di- 
rection of  the  force ;  whereas  they  all  lie 
straight.  Large  fields  of  corn,  through 
every  part,  showed  the  motion  of  a  force 
acting  in  straight  lines.  I  could  not  find 
any  trace  of  a  curve.  The  ground  and 
grass  were  definitely  marked  in  extensive, 
open  fields,  and  no  sign  of  curvilinear  mo- 
tion could  be  detected.  All  showed  straight 
lines  of  march  towards  the  central  line. 
Upon  the  central  line,  where  the  apex  of 
the  inverted  cone  just  touched  the  earth, 
there  we  should  expect  to  find  trees  twisted 
off;  but  1  find  not  one.  All,  on  this  line, 
lie  thrown  down  without  any  trace  of  a 
whirl  in  the  power  that  prostrated  them. 
In  most  of  them  the  bark  upon  the  west 
side  is  scraped  lengthwise,  up  and  down, 
with  no  mark  of  circular  motion.  Two 
facts  more  may  be  added  here.  Large  trees, 
which  were  broken  ofi*  from  five  to  ten  feet 
from  the  ground,  exhibit  uniform  testimony. 
The  sap-wood,  on  the  west  side,  did  not 
break  so  readily  as  the  interior  layers,  and 
therefore  it  was  pealed  off"  in  strings ;  these 


34  THE    TORNADO. 

strings  remain  erect  as  they  grew,  and  show 
no  trace  of  twist  or  revolution.  Twenty- 
eight  rods  north  of  centre  stands  erect  the 
trunk  of  a  large  apple  tree  in  Miss  Brooks' 
orchard,  before  mentioned.  The  top  of  this 
tree  was  taken  up,  perpendicularly  I  pre- 
sume, for  the  shreds  and  layers  of  the  sap- 
wood  stand  pointing  upward  as  they  grew, 
showing  no  vestige  of  bending  or  contor- 
tion. 

^  The  inverted  cone  of  wind  and  cloud,  as 
it  travelled  through  its  course,  may  have 
revolved  round  a  perpendicular  axis,  as 
many  assert  it  did.  I  know  not  why  it 
should,  or  why  it  should  not.  Having  no 
theory  to  patronize  or  decry,  I  readily  ac- 
cede to  the  testimony  in  this  particular, 
leaving  disputants  to  classify  the  facts  as 
they  may.  But  I  would  suggest  this  idea; 
if  a  beholder  should  see  such  a  tornado 
coming  towards  him  or  going  from  him,  he 
would  see  objects  projected  into  it  from  both 
sides  of  it ;  and  these  opposite  motions  would 
give  the  appearance  of  a  whirl  or  rotation, 
although  the  objects  may  be  moving  in 
straight  lines.     The  inverted  cone,   what- 


THE    TORNADO.       '  35 

ever  may  have  been  its  composition,  form 
or  motion,  left  behind  it  a  vacuum  of  such 
a  character  as  to  force  the  wind,  after  it  and 
on  each  side  of  it,  with  a  violence  sufficient 
to  uproot  the  strongest  oaks ;  and  the  mo- 
tion of  these  inrushing  columns  of  air  was 
in  straight  lines ;  and  they  were  generally 
towards  the  centre  of  the  line  of  march. 

In  Mr.  Hastings'  orchard,  S.  of  his  house, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Mystic  river,  stood 
a  large  old  apple  tree.  This  tree  was 
seventy-four  and  a  half  rods  S.  S.  E.  of 
what  seemed  to  be  the  outer  southern  edge 
of  the  tornado ;  nevertheless  it  was  behead- 
ed, split  and  lies  pointing  exactly  E.  A 
hundred  trees  in  its  immediate  vicinity 
were  equally  exposed^  yet  remain  un- 
touched. 

The  effect  on  some  trees  is  worthy  of 
record.  A  large  horse  chesnut  tree,  near 
the  brook  in  Mr.  Ushers  land,  was  decapi- 
tated, leaving  only  a  few  small  limbs  at- 
tached to  the  lower  part  of  the  trunk.  With- 
in a  week  after  the  tornado  the  buds  on  these 


36  THE    TORNADO. 

limbs  began  to  swell,  new  leaves  soon  ap- 
peared, and  then  blossoms  ;  so  that  on  the 
16th  September,  twenty-five  days  after  its 
decapitation,  it  displayed  ten  or  twelve  full- 
grown  blossoms.  I  regret  that  some  of 
these  blossoms  were  not  allowed  to  remain, 
in  order  to  see  how  soon  a  perfect  nut 
would  have  been  formed  under  these  extra- 
ordinary circumstances. 

The  action  of  the  wind  was  searching 
indeed,  and  many  strange  movements  were 
its  result.  In  a  small  room,  four  lods  S.  of 
centre,  was  an  engraved  likeness  of  Pres. 
Fillmore  pasted  strongly  upon  a  rough 
plastered  wall.  Around  it  were  many  other 
engravings  of  like  size.  This  room  was  so 
situated  that  the  wind  came  in  at  a  west 
door  and  went  out  at  an  east  window.  The 
wind  selected  his  Excellency's  head,  took 
it  from  the  wall  without  tearing  it  or  soil- 
ing it  in  the  least,  and  having  carried  it 
through  an  open  window,  transported  it 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  and  deposited 
it  in  the  garden  of  a  friend,  who  returned 
it  safely,  to  be  again  fastened  in  its  place. 


THE    TORNADO.  ^ 

Political  prophets  may  tell   us  what  this 
foreshadows. 

In  the  middle  of  Mr.  H.  Whittemore's 
house  in  West  Cambridge,  in  the  second 
story,  there  is  a  door  in  whose  top  are  six 
small  panes  of  glass.  This  door  is  exactly 
opposite  the  front  window,  which  was  blown 
in  during  the  tornado.  Before  the  six 
panes  of  glass  hung  a  white  cloth  curtain. 
Through  this  curtain  was  perforated  a  small  • 
ragged  hole  not  larger  than  a  pea.  Directly 
behind  this  hole  the  pane  of  glass  is  perfo- 
rated, and  a  hole  is  left  almost  as  large  as  a 
half  dollar.  This  hole  in  the  glass  was 
nearly  round  ;  and  its  edges,  instead  of  be- 
ing sharp  as  broken  glass  is,  seem  melted 
into  roundness.  Moreover,  for  a  quarter  of 
an  inch  round  the  edges  of  this  hole,  there 
is  a  thin  wavy  layer  of  apparently  melted 
glass.  A  few  cracks  in  the  glass  ray  off 
from  the  centre  of  the  hole.  Since  the  tor- 
nado a  piece  of  glass,  which  was  loose,  has 
been  taken  out,  thus  destroying  so  far  the 
circular  form  of  the  hole  and  the  wavy  lay- 
ers which  bounded  it.  We  hope  that  many 
4 


38  THE     TORNADO. 

will  examine  this  singular  fact,  especially 
in  connection  with  electricityj  and  show  us 
how  the  glass  could  have  been  melted  and 
the  cloth  remain  unscorched. 

To  enumerate  all  the  strange  facts  con- 
nected with  the  tornado  would  fill  pages  ; 
but^I  must  leave  them.  I  cannot,  however, 
omit  the  mention  of  the  sympathy  shown 
for  the  sufferers.  Five  or  six  individuals 
•were  more  or  less  injured  in  body.  Mrs. 
Caldwell  was  taken  up  by  the  wind  and 
carried  over  fences  and  trees,  through  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  and  safe- 
ly deposited  by  the  side  of  a  neighbor's  barn. 
Strange  to  say,  she  was  only  bruised  a  little. 
Such  was  the  suddetmess  and  force  of  the 
motion  that  she  can  give  but  an  imperfect 
account  of  her  aerial  excursion.  Two  men 
at  work  upon  a  new  house  were  thrown  sev- 
eral rods,  and  one  was  injured  considerably. 
The  son  of  Mr.  San  ford  was  thrown  upon 
the  ground,  and  while  there,  his  father's 
house,  which  was  moved  seventeen  feet 
from  its  foundation,  came  down  upon  his 
legs,  and  so  crushed  both  feet  as  to  render 


THE    TORNADO.  39 

their  amputation  necessary.  He  was  taken 
to  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  and 
there  has  recovered  rapidly.  The  fortitude 
and  patience  of  this  excellent  young  man, 
under  his  severe  deprivations,  are  worthy  of 
all  praise. 

Mr.  Huffmaster  was  so  deeply  wounded 
by  the  blows  received  from  the  falling  tim- 
bers of  his  house,  that  he  was  unable  to 
give  any  account  of  his  situation,  and  after 
remaining  almost  insensible  for  a  day,  ex- 
pired, leaving  behind  him  the  character  of 
an  industrious  man,  a  friendly  neighbor,  an 
attentive  husband,  and  kind  father. 

It  would  not  accord  with  my  sense  of 
justice,  or  with  what  I  think  are  the  sen- 
timents of  the  sufferers  by  the  tornado,  if  I 
should  omit  to  say,  that  the  neighbors,  who 
had  been  spared  from  the  terrible  visitation, 
came  with  promptness  to  the  aid  of  those 
in  trouble,  and  seemed  most  anxious,  by 
their  personal  presence,  to  do  all  that  hu- 
man hands  could  do  to  alleviate  the  horrors 
of  the  scene.  The  sympathy  was  deep  and 
the  succor  spontaneous.  Many  a  heart  has 
been  made  lastingly  grateful  by  this  timely 


40  THE    TORNADO.  « 

and  efficient  aid  from  friends,  who,  besides 
the  gifts  of  money,  employed  their  hired 
men  and  their  teams  for  more  than  a  week 
in  relieving  distress,  and  in  securing  property 
which  must  otherwise  have  been  lost. 

I  must  also  pay  a  tribute  of  respect  to  the 
people  of  Medford  who  were  sufferers  by 
this  visitation.  One  and  all  have  sustained 
their  losses,  met  their  disappointments,  and 
borne  their  sorrows  with  a  true  Christian 
heroism,  worthy  of  all  honor.  They  see, 
in  the  event,  an  extraordinary  exhibition  of 
a  great  law  of  nature;  and  they  bow  sub- 
missive to  nature's  GOD. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

CHAS.  BROOKS. 

Boston,  Oct.  30,  1851. 


THE    TORNADO. 


41 


REPORT  OF  COMMITTEE  ON  APPRAISALS. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  West 
Medford,  on  the  evening  of  August  28th, 
the  subscribers  were  appointed  a  Commit- 
tee to  appraise  the  damage  in  the  town 
of  Medford,  caused  by  a  tornado  which 
passed  over  the  neighborhood  on  the  after- 
noon of  Friday,  August  22d. 

That  Committee  have  carefully  and  mi- 
nutely examined  the  whole  course  of  the 
tornado,  and  collected  from  individual  suf- 
ferers such  facts  relating  to  it  as  they 
had  to  communicate,  and  the  result  of  their 
inquiries  and  estimates  shows  a  damage 
amounting  in  all  to  $18,768,  viz: — 


Buildings  and  fences, 

$11,691 

Fruit  trees, 

4,755 

Ornamental  trees, 

800 

Fruits,  crops,  &c., 

460 

Miscellaneous  articles, 

1,062 

#18,768 
4* 


42  THE    TORNADO. 

The  amount  of  individual  losses,  as  esti- 
mated by  the  Committee,  is  as  follows  : — 


$  25,00 


Edward  Brooks — 

Barn, 

, 

Estate  belonging 

TO    T. 

p. 

Smith 

AND  OTHERS 

Buildings, 

. 

300,00 

Fruit  trees, 

, 

600,00 

Carriages, 

, 

75,00 

Vegetables, 

10,00 

985,00 


Charles  Rollins — 

Two  dwelling  houses,  unfinished, 
which  Mr.  Rollins  was  building 
by  contract,  both  entirely  de- 
molished, including,  in  one 
case,  the  cellar  wall.  One  of 
these  buildings  was  on  the 
property  belonging  to  T.  P. 
Smith  and  others,         .  4,320,00 

The  other  was  for  the  Rev.  Mr. 

Haskins,  .  .  1,450,00 


5,770,00 


House  building  by  J.  F.  Ed- 
ward, on  property  belonging 
to  T.  P.  Smith  and  others,       .  12,00 

Boston  &  Lowell  Railroad  Co. — 

Freight  car  blown  fronx  track  and 
buildings  injuyecli  »  40,00 


THE 

TORNADO. 

J 

.  M.  Usher — 
Buildings, 
Fruit  trees, 
Fruit, 

. 

442,00 
30,00 

Ornamental  tree 

,  (horsechesnut,) 

50,00 

a 


L.  B.  Usher — 

Buildings,     .  .  .  50,00 

Fruit  trees  and  fruit,  .  58,00 

Ornamental  trees,  (elm  in  road  and 

horsechesnut,)       .  .  100,00 


Heirs  of  Leonard  Bucknam — 

Buildings  and  fences. 

450,00 

Fruit  trees, 

25,00 

J.  M.  Sanford — 

Fence, 

10,00 

Vegetables, 

5,00 

Furniture  and  clothing. 

150,00 

Carriages,     . 

75,00 

H.  T.  Nutter— 

Vegetables, 

5,00 

Furniture  and  clothing, 

400,00 

Joseph  Wyatt — 

Buildings,     . 

250,00 

Fruit  trees, 

150,00 

Fruit, 

10,00 

522,00 


208,00 


475,00 


240,00 


405,00 


410,00 


44  THE    TORNADO. 

Town  of  Medford — 

Buildings,  (School  and  Poor  house 


fences,  &c.,) 

410,00 

Ornamental  trees, 

50,00 

Fruit  trees, 

50,00 

George  E.  Harrington — 

Buildings,     . 

30,00 

Fruit  trees, 

50,00 

Fruit, 

8,00 

J.  Yreeland — 

Fruit  trees, 

150,00 

Fruit, 

12,00 

A.  L.  Fitzgerald,  (house  slightly- 
damaged,) 

Samuel  Teel,  Jr. — 

Buildings,     .  .  .  800,00 

Fruit  trees,  .  .  200,00 

Fruit,  vegetables  and  hay,  61,00 

Wagons,  furniture,  &c.,       .  120,00 


510,00 


88,00 


162,00 


George  Caldwell — 

House, 

25,00 

Fruit  trees. 

20,00 

George  F.  Lane — 

Buildings,     . 

600,00 

Fruit  trees,                ^ 

250,00 

Vegetables, 

16,00 

1,181,00 


45,00 


866,00 


THE    TORNADO. 


45 


Thomas  Huffmaster — 
Buildings,     . 
Fruit  trees,  ♦ 

Fruit  and  corn, 


Nathaniel  Tracy — 

Fence, 
John  W.  Hastings — 

House  and  fence, 
■Rev.  John  Pierpont — 

Buildings,     . 

Fruit  trees. 

Heirs  of  Jonathan  Brooks- 
Buildings  and  fences. 
Fruit  trees. 
Ornamental  trees. 
Fruit,  vegetables  and  hay, 
Carriages  and  hayrack. 


275,00 

500,00 

45,00 


Wellington  Russell — 

Clothing  and  furniture, 

. 

E.  T.  Hastings— 

Fences, 

30,00 

Fruit  trees, 

100,00 

Fruit, 

20,00 

J.  B.  Hatch— 

Fences, 

5,00 

Fruit  trees. 

75,00 

Fruit, 

25,00 

500,00 
100,00 

677,00 
500,00 
200,00 
80,00 
175,00 


820,00 
25,00 


150,00 

105,00 
10,00 

25,00 
600,00 


1,632,00 


m                               THE    TORNADO. 

Alfred  Brooks —            *     ' 

Buildings,     , 
Fruit  trees, 

350,00 
100,00 

450,00 

Noah  Johnson — 

Buildings, 

Hay  and  grain  in  bg,rn, 

Ox  wagon  and  farming  tools, 

445,00 
40,00 
42,00 

527,00 

James  Wyman — 

Fruit  trees, 

30,00 

Moses  Pierce— 

House, 

25,00 

John  V.  Fletcher — 

House, 

25,00 

Fruit  trees, 

20,00 

45,00 

Joseph  Swan — 

Fruit  trees. 

20,00 

P.  C.  Hall— 

Fruit  trees. 

920,00 

Ornamental  trees, 

50,00 

Fruit, 
Jonathan  Porter — 

80,00 

1,050,00 

Fruit  Trees, 

75,00 

Fruit, 

35,00 

110,00 

William  Roach — 

Fruit  trees, 

25,00 

Dudley  Hall — 

Fruit  trees, 

25,00 

THE    TORNADO. 

4/ 

Samuel  Kidder^- 

Baildings,     . 

, 

50,00 

Fruit  trees, 

. 

400,00 

Ornamental  trees, 

• 

50,00 

500,00 

Thatcher  R.  Raymond — 

Fruit  trees, 

100,00 

Ornamental  trees, 

, 

100,00 

Fences, 

• 

10,00 

210,00 

John  A.  Page — 

Fruit  trees. 

, 

150,00 

Ornamental  trees, 

, 

50,00 

Fences, 

• 

50,00 

250,00 

Russell — 

Ornamental  trees, 

. 

150,00 

Orchard,  (east  of  Andover 

Turnpike,) 

40,00 

$  18,768 

Eastward  of  the  private  road  which 
passes  the  houses  of  Messrs.  Porter  and 
Lemist,  is  a  tract  (extending  about  half  a 
mile)  of  uncultivated  pasture  and  wood- 
land, over  which  the  gust  has  left  its  mark 
by  rending,  breaking  and  overturning  trees 
of  every  size  and  description,  which  were 
found  lying  in  all  positions ;  some  in  the 
direction  of  the  blast,   and  others  at  every 


48  THE    TORNADO. 

angle  with  it.  Here  no  damage  was  esti- 
mated, as  the  trees  were  useful  only  for 
timber  or  fuel,  and  for  those  purposes  are 
nearly  as  valuable  now  as  when  standing. 

Although  the  Committee  have  exercised 
their  best  judgment  in  making  this  appraise- 
ment, it  probably  falls  far  short  of  the  esti- 
mate of  the  injured  parties,  whose  feelings, 
in  some  cases,  have  suffered  more  than  their 
property.  The  extent  of  such  injury  none 
but  the  sufferers  can  determine.  The  Com- 
mittee were  instructed  to  return  only  the 
pecuniary  damage. 

Injury  to  person  from  this  disaster  was 
much  less  extensive  than  to  property,  and 
so  far  as  the  Committee  are  informed,  was 
confined  to  the  town  of  Medford  and  to  a 
very  narrow  space  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood of  the  station  of  the  Boston  and 
Lowell  Railroad.  Seven  persons  were  more 
or  less  injured.  One  (Thomas  Huffmaster) 
lost  his  life  while  occupied  in  closing  his 
house  against  the  storm.  He  was  struck 
by  part  of  the  roof  of  a  neighbor's  barn, 
which  was  driven  through  the  side  of  his 
house.     He  was  taken  up  insensible,  and 


THE    TORNADO.  49 

SO  continued  till   his   death,    about   thirty 
hours  after. 

James  S.  Sanford,  son  of  the  depot  master 
of  the  Lowell  Railroad,  a  fine  youth  of 
eighteen,  lost  both  his  feet.  The  house  in 
which  he  lived  was  dislodged  from  its  foun- 
dation, and  as  he  was  entering  the  door,  he 
was  thrown  down,  with  the  building  rest- 
ing on  his  feet.  They  were  both  found  so 
badly  crushed  as  to  require  amputation, 
which  was  successfully  performed  the  same 
evening,  and  he  is  now  nearly  recovered. 

A  person  in  the  employment  of  James  M. 
Usher  had  his  arm  broken. 

A  stranger  was  badly  injured  in  the 
head,  by  the  falling  limb  of  a  tree, — at 
first,  it  was  thought  dangerously,  but  he  is 
now  fast  recovering. 

Mrs.  Nutter,  wife  of  H.  T.  Nutter,  was  at 
the  time  confined  by  illness  to  her  chamber. 
In  an  instant  the  roof  and  most  of  the  house 
was  carried  away,  including  the  ceiling  and 
two  sides  of  the  room  she  occupied,  leaving 
her  entirely  unsheltered ;  yet  she  escaped 
with  only  a  very  slight  injury.  Her  infant, 
5 


60  THE    TORNADO. 

though  since  dead,  is  thought  to  have  re- 
ceived no  harni  on  that  occasion. 

J.  M.  Sanford,  the  father  of  James,  above- 
mentioned,  was  shghtly  injured  in  the  neck. 

A  mechanic  at  work  in  the  attic  of  the 
unfinished  building  which  was  wholly  de- 
molished, fell  Avith  the  house,  but  received 
no  other  harm  than  a  slight  cut  on  the  head. 
These  are  the  only  persons  known  to  have 
been  injured. 

The  three  most  seriously  hurt  were  taken 
at  once  (by  the  Lowell  Railroad)  to  the 
Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  where  they 
not  only  have  had  the  benefit  of  the  best  pro- 
fessional skill  which  the  country  affords,  but 
have  received  attentions,  appliances  and 
comforts  such  as  no  private  establishment 
can  supply,  and  all  this,  as  is  believed, 
without  charge. 

The  examination  was  begun  where  the 
gale  first  struck  the  town,  at  its  south-west 
border,  on  the  property  belonging  to  T.  P. 
Smith  and  others,  which  is  here  bounded 
by  the  Mystic  River.  Its  width  on  the 
margin  of  the  river  was  500  feet,  and 
its  northern  edge  fifty  rods  from  the  Wear 


THE    TORNADO.  51 

Bridge,  on  the  road  to  W.  Cambridge.  Its  di- 
rection, with  some  strange  deviations,  was 
nearly  E.  N.  E.  The  position  of  objects  over- 
turned, and  the  course  of  those  swept  away, 
were  quite  irregular.  Two  large  apple  trees, 
on  the  estate  next  the  river,  were  taken  up 
by  the  roots  and  carried  some  twenty  feet 
in  a  direction  just  opposite  from  that  of  the 
storm.  A  large  part  of  the  roof  of  Mr. 
Lane's  barn  and  several  feet  of  lead  pipe 
from  Rev.  Mr.  Pierpont's  house,  w^ere  car- 
ried more  than  500  feet  directly  across  its 
track,  and  many  trees  and  other  objects  ap- 
parently in  the  midst  of  the  current  were 
left  untouched,  while  others  on  its  extreme 
verge  were  thrown  down  or  swept  away; 
but  these  incidents  belong  rather  to  another 
Committee,  who  will  give  a  scientific  view 
of  such  phenomena  as  the  case  presents. 


GoRHAM  Brooks, 
Chas.  Caldwell, 
Franklin  Patch, 
Jeremiah  Gilson, 
Albert  Smith, 


Com'ee, 


52  THE    TORNADO. 


WEST  CAMBRIDGE. 

A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  West  Cam- 
bridge, was  holden  at  the  vestry  of  the  Uni- 
tarian church  in  said  town,  on  Monday 
evening,  August  25th,  three  days  after  the 
tornado,  at  the  request  of  the  selectmen  of 
the  town,  as  announced  from  the  pulpits  of 
the  several  religious  societies  the  Sabbath 
before.  On  being  called  to  order  by  Mansir 
W.  Marsh,  Esq.,  the  chairman  of  the  board 
of  selectmen,  and  the  object  of  the  meeting 
having  been  briefly  stated  by  him,  Mr.  Marsh 
was  thereupon  appointed  President,  and 
Moses  Proctor,  Secretary. 

The  solemnity  of  the  occasion  which  call- 
ed the  citizens  together  seemed  to  pervade 
the  minds  of  all  present,  and  produced  a 
pause  more  impressive  than  words  could 
express.  But  after  a  few  moments  of  most 
profound  silence,  Hon.  James  Russell  was 
called  upon  to  submit  his  views  on  the  sub- 
ject matter  of  the   meeting.     Mr.  Russell 


THE    TORNADO.  63 

responded  to  the  call,  and  in  a  feeling  man- 
ner besought  all  present,  as  well  as  the 
whole  people  of  the  town,  to  acknowledge 
with  imfeigned  gratitude  their  absolute  de- 
pendence upon  God  and  to  thank  him  for 
the  preservation  of  their  lives  in  the  midst 
of  the  danger  and  peril  through  which  they 
had  so  recently  passed,  with  such  other  re- 
marks as  were  pertinent  to  the  occasion. 
After  which  Mr.  Russell  introduced  for  the 
consideration  of  the  meeting  the  following 
Preamble  and  Resolutions  : 

Whereas,  it  hath  pleased  God  to  visit  our 
town  with  a  calamity  unprecedented  in  this 
part  of  our  country,  filling  our  hearts  and 
minds  with  terror  and  dismay,  at  the  same 
time  mingling  mercy  with  judgment,  in  pre- 
serving our  lives  in  the  midst  of  danger, 
therefore 

Resolved^  That  it  becomes  us  at  all  times 
to  acknowledge  our  absolute  dependence  on 
God  for  every  blessing,  and  that  it  especially 
becomes  us  at  this  time,  having  so  recently 
witnessed  his  power  and  majesty,  to  ac- 
knowledge his  great  goodness  in  the  preser- 
5=^ 


54  THE  TORNADO. 

vation  of  our  lives  in  the   midst  of  most 
imminent  danger. 

Resolved^  That  such  of  our  citizens  as 
have  sustained  severe  losses  in  the  prostra- 
tion of  their  buildings,  the  destruction  of 
their  fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  and  other 
property,  by  the  recent  tornado,  demand  our 
sympathy  and  such  pecuniary  aid  as  their 
necessities  may  require  and  as  we  have  it 
in  our  power  to  bestow. 

The  foregoing  Preamble  and  Resolutions 
having  been  read,  several  gentlemen  ad- 
dressed the  meeting  in  favor  of  their  adop- 
tion, and  they  were  unanimously  adopted. 
It  was  then  moved  by  Mr.  Russell  to  open 
a  subscription  for  the  benefit  of  such  of  the 
sufferers  as  could  not  well  sustain  their  re- 
spective losses,  and  a  committee  consisting 
of  George  C.  Russell,  Joseph  O.  Wellington, 
Samuel  Butterfield,  and  Addison  Hill,  were 
chosen  to  solicit  subscriptions. 

It  was  also  voted  to  appoint  a  Committee 
of  five  persons  to  make  an  appraisement  of 
the  damages  sustained,  and  Mansir  W. 
Marsh,  Lewis  P.  Bartlett,  Moses  Proctor, 


THE    TORNADO.  55- 

(Selectmen,)  and  Albert  Winn,  and  David 
Clark,  were  chosen. 

It  was  also  voted  to  appoint  a  Committee 
to  make  a  distribution  of  the  moneys  col- 
lected by  subscription,  not  in  proportion  to 
losses  sustained,  but  in  proportion  to  the 
necessities  of  the  respective  sufferers;  and 
James  Russell,  John  Field,  Abner  Pierce, 
John  Jarvis,  George  C.  Russell,  were  cho- 
sen. 

MosEs  Proctor,  Secretary. 

West  Cainbridge^  August  25,  1851. 


REPORT  ON  APPRAISEMENT. 

The  following  is  a  Report  of  the  Com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town  of  West  Cambridge  to  estimate  the 
damages  and  loss  of  property  to  said  inhab- 
itants and  to  the  town,  occasioned  by  a  vi- 
olent tornado  on  the  twenty-second  day  of 
August,  1851. 


56  THE  TORNADO. 

James  Brown — 

Damage  to  building,         .         .  $35,00 

100  fruit  trees,  (more  or  less,)  750,00 

Damage  to  fruit  and  corn,         .  20,00 


805,00 


Stephen   Fogg,  (tenant  to  James 
Brown,) — 
Loss  on  fruit  and  vegetables,  250,00 

George  A.  Locke — 

Damage  to  orchard         .         .         150,00 
Loss  of  fruit,         .         .         .  10,00 


George  Prentis  &  Son — 

To  133  apple  and  cherry  trees, 
blown  down,  blown  away,  and 
otherwise  injured,  .       .       800,00 

Eighty-two  large  forest  and  orna- 
mental trees,  .         .       .       200,00 
Loss  of  present  year's  income  150,00 
Damage  to  house  &  cost  of  repairs,  160,00 


160,00 


JosiAH  L.  Frost — 

Damage  to  orchard  and  trees  des- 
troyed,        ....  320,00 
Horace  Wilson,   (tenant  to  J.  L. 
Frost)— 
Fruit  destroyed,         .         .       .       100,00 
Damage  to  orchard  on  the  Barnes' 

place, 100,00 


200,00 


1310,00 


THE    TORNADO.  57 

M.  W.  Marsh — 

16  large  apple  and  1  cherry  trees,  120,00 
Loss  of  fruit  and  damage  to  vines,    /40,00 


James  Hill — 
Damage  to  apple  orchard,         .       200,00 
Loss  of  fruit  and  damage  to  vines,   50,00 


Oliver  Russell — 

Damage  to  apple  orchard,         .  400,00 

"        to  fruit  and  vegetables,  50,00 

Thaddeus  Frost — 

Damage  to  apple  orchard,         .  400,00 

Loss  of  apples,          .         .       .  40,00 


William  Hill,  2d — 
Damage  to  apple  orchard,  and  loss 


of  fruit  trees. 

600,00 

Loss  of  fruit,     .... 

150,00 

'rancis  S.  &  Newell  Frost — 

Damage  to  fruit  trees. 

300,00 

*'        to  forest  trees,     . 

00,00 

Loss  of  present  year's  income, 

100,00 

160,00 


J.  V.  Fletcher — 

250,00 

Damage   to  fruit  trees, 

100,00 

James  Wyman — 

Loss  of  fruit, 

45,00 

Wid.  Amos  Frost — 

Damage  to  apple  orchard, 

.       300,00 

Damage  to  corn  and  fruit, 

30,00 

330,00 


450,00 


440,00 


750,00 


440,00 


58  THE    TORNADO. 

Henry  Frost — 

138  apple  and  pear   trees  blown 

down  and  otherwise  injured,      1000,00 
Loss  of  fruit,  .         .       .       150,00 

1150,00 

Jonathan  Frost — 

Sixty-three  apple  trees  lost,      .       630,00 
Forest  trees      .         .         .       .         20,00 


600,00 

Warren  S.  &  Varnum  Frost — 

Damage  to  fruit,  corn  and  vines,  200,00 

Estate  of  David  Hill, 

Damage  to  fruit  trees  and  wood,     350,00 
Damage  to  fruit  and  vines,       .       150,00 


Silas  Frost — 
Damage  to  orcharding,       .       .       400  00 
"       to  fruit,         .         .       .         75,00 


Edward  Fillebrown — 
Damage  to  fruit  and  forest  trees,      75,00 
Loss  of  fruit,      ....       18,00 


500,00 


475,00 


93,00 


Timothy  Swan — 

Seventy-eight   apple,  five  cherry, 

and  two  pear  trees,         .       .       850,00 
Loss  of  fruit,    ....         30,00 
Damage  to  buildings  and  cost  of 
repairs,  ....         60,00 

940,00 

David  W.  Horton — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  400,00 


THE    TORNADO. 


^ 


Charles  Hill — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  460,00 

Loss  of  present  year's  income,  50,00 

Mrs.  Phebe  Swan — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  1022,00 

Fruit  lost,            ....  50,00 


John  Batcheldor — 
House  damaged, 

WnLLIAM  T.  DUPEE — 

House  damaged, 

J.  C.  Waldo— 
House  damaged, 

W.  J.  Lane — 

Fruit  trees  damaged  and  fruit  lost, 

Mrs.  Snelling — 

Damage  to  estate,      .         .       .       210,00 

10,00 


Loss  of  fruit, 


Dr-  FisK— 

Damage  to  trees, 

Capt.  Reuben  Hopkins — 

Loss  of  fruit,  &c.      .         .       .         40,00 
Damage  to  house  and  barn,       .  2,00 

Forty-nine  fruit  trees  capsized  and 
one  missing,  picked  up  next  day  in 
land  of  Dr.  Fisk.     Damage,  400,00 


510,00 

1072,00 

50,00 

10,00 

20,00 

115,00 

220,00 
36,00 


442,00 


60  THE    TORNADO. 

Dr.  Timothy  Wellington — 

Damage  to  orcharding,      .       .  400,00 

Two  chimneys  blown  down,     .  10,00 

Loss  of  fruit,     ....  37,00 


447,00 
Charles  Griffiths — 

Damage  to  estate,      ...  100,00 

Mr.  Peck — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  610,00 

Timothy  Whittemore — 

Damage  to  fence  and  fruit  trees,  212,50 

George  B.  Richardson — 

Estate  damaged,        .         .       .       325,00 

Loss  of  fruit,      ....       35,00 


360,00 
George  H.  Gray — 

Loss  of  trees  and  shrubbery,       .  50,00 

John  Fowle — 

Damage  to  buildings  and  cost  of 

repairs,  ....       700,00 

Damage  to  fences,  fruit  and  orna- 
mental trees,  and  loss  of  fruit,     400,00 


Horatio  Locke — 

1 

,100,00 

Loss  of  fruit  trees  and  fruit, 

105,00 

Michael  M.  Carthy — 

Loss  of  bed  and  clothing. 

. 

25,00 

RuFUS  Damon — 

Damage  to  stable, 

.       60,00 

Damage  to  fruit  trees, 

.       100,00 

Af\c\  nrt 

THE    TORNADO.  61 

Mrs.  P.  Whittemore — 

Damage  to  estate,        .         .         .  460,00 

Mrs.  Rebecca  Whittemore — 

House  damaged,  .         .       .  25,00 

William  Clark — 

Damage  to  estate,     .         .       .  200,00 

Thomas  Thorp — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,       500,00 

Loss  of  fruit,  &c.,    .         .       .         15,00 


515,00 
Thomas  E.  Thorp — 

Damage  to  house,      .         .       .  200,00 

Daniel  Burbeck — 

Damage  to  house,      .         .  100,00 

Mrs.  Damon — 

Damage  to  estate,      .         .       .  210,00 

Thomas  H.  Teel — 

Loss  of  trees,  fruit  and  corn,    .  50,00 

Fessenden  &  Whittemore — 

Loss  of  goods,   furniture,  and  fix- 
tures of  store,  &c.,      .       .  1000,00 
Damage  to  Centre  School  house,  124,00 
Damage  to  forest  and  ornamental 

trees  in  Spring  Valley,       -  50,00 

Estate  of  Henry  Swan,         .  40,00 

Gershom  Whittemore — 

Damage  to  buildings  and  fences,     225,00 

Loss  of  fruit  and  ornamental  trees,  165,00 


390,00 
Heney  Whittemore — 

Damage  to  estate  and  loss  of  fruit,  6 15. ,00 

6 


6*2  THE    TORNADO. 

William  H.  Whittemore — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  600,00 
Fruit  and  vegetables  lost,  .  100,00 
Injury  to  cow,  .         .       .         50,00 

750,00 

John  Fillebrown — 

Damage  to  estate  and  loss  of  pro- 
duce,           800,00 

Samuel  C.  Bucknam — 

Damage  to  estate  and  loss  of  car- 
riages,       -        -        -      -  475,00 

Abel  R.  Proctor — 

Depreciation  in  value  of  estate,  260,00 

Damage  and  loss  of  fruit  to  sundry- 
persons  not  enumerated,  estimated 
at 500,00 

William  Hill,  3d — 

Damage  to  estate  and  loss  of  fruit,  90,00 

Cornelius  Akerman — Damage,  10,00 

John  P.  Daniels — 

Damage  to  machine  shop,  &c.,  35,00 

Luke  Agur — 

Damage  to  house  and  garden,  100,00 

Andrews  Howe — 

Damage  to  house,        .         .       .  25,00 

Thomas  R.  Gushing — 

Damage  to  estate,       .         .       .  175,00 


THE    TORNADO.  63 

Mr.  Converse — 
Damage   to    house,    fences,    and 

trees,  .         .         .       ,  40,00 

James  Wyman,  (tenant  to  Mr.  Converse,) — 
Damage  to  cornfield  and  loss  of 

fruit, 125,00 

'LoTON  Gassett 


Damage  to  house,      .         .       .       100,00 
To  fruit  and  ornamental  trees,         100,00 


200,00 


Whole  amount  of  damages  and  loss  of  property 
sustained  by  the  inhabitants  of  West  Cambridge  by 
the  late  tornado  as  taken  by  the  subscribers,  a  com- 
mittee appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  completed  this 
fourth  day  of  September,  1851,      .       .      $  23,606 

Mansir  W.  Marsh, 

Lewis  P.  Bartlett, 

Moses  Proctor, 

David  Clark, 

Albert  Winn, 


Com- 
mittee, 


SUBSCRIPTION  PAPER  CIRCULATED  IN  WEST 
CAMBRIDGE. 

The  undersigned  inhabitants  of  West 
Cambridge,  being  solemnly  impressed  by 
the  recent  calamity  with  which  we  have 


64 


THE    TORNADO. 


been  visited ;  with  a  sense  of  our  absolute 
dependence  on  God  for  the  preservation  of 
our  lives,  the  greatest  of  all  earthly  gifts  ; 
and  at  the  same  time,  duly  sensible  of  our 
dependence  on  each  other  for  sympathy  and 
aid  in  time  of  trouble  :  Now  feel  ourselves 
called  upon  to  acknowlege  our  gratitude  to 
God  for  the  preservation  of  our  lives  in  the 
midst  of  the  greatest  peril  and  danger  ;  and 
we  would  cheerfully  extend  to  our  suffer- 
ing neighbors  and  friends  our  most  cordial 
sympathy  ;  and  also  such  pecuniary  aid,  as 
by  the  blessing  of  God  we  are  severally  able 
to  bestow.  We  therefore  agree  to  pay  on 
demand  to  the  Committee  chosen  to  solicit 
subscriptions  for  this  purpose,  the  sums  set 
against  our  respective  names. 


James  Russell, 

.      $50,00 

Thomas  Russell, 

50,00 

J.  Field,       . 

50,00 

William  Adams, 

25,00 

Joseph  Burrage, 

15,00 

Nathan  Robbins,  Jr.,    . 

50,00 

F.  Abbot,      . 

5,00 

Francis  Horton,    . 

10,00 

THE    TORNADO. 

( 

Albert  Winn, 

25,00 

A.  G.  Peck, 

20,00 

George  H.  Gray, 

30,00 

George  C.  Russell, 

15,00 

Joshua  Robbins,  . 

15,00 

Artemas  Locke,    . 

20,00 

W.  J.  Niles, 

50,00 

Luke  Wyman, 

20,00 

David  W.  Horton, 

20,00 

T.  J.  Russell, 

15,00 

John  Osborn, 

10,00 

Isaac  Shattuck,  Jr., 

5,00 

Thomas  Ramsdall, 

5,00 

N.  M.  Fessenden, 

5,00 

W.  R.  Norcross, 

5,00 

S.  H.  Russell, 

.       ,  1,00 

J.  B.  Hartwell,     . 

3,00 

Daniel  0.  Chamberlain, 

20,00 

Lewis  P.  Bartlett, 

10,00 

Stephen  Levan,    . 

5,00 

George  Stearns,     . 

10,00 

Capt.  George  Lee, 

.      150,00 

Amos  Hill, 

15,00 

Henry  Y.  Hill,      . 

15,00 

George  A.  Locke, 

10,00 

Francis  Hill, 

16,00 

6* 

65 


66 


)                                THE    TORNADO. 

William  F.  Homer,      . 

25,00 

E.  Homer,  Jr., 

25,00 

P.  B.  Homer, 

25,00 

Otis  Green, 

10,00 

Charles  G.  Winn, 

20,00 

John  M.  HoUingsworth, 

30,00 

J.  0.  Wellington, 

15,00 

John  L.  Alexander, 

25,00 

John  Schouler, 

50,00 

James  E.  Bailey,  . 

10,00 

John  Hinton, 

10,00 

Abner  Pierce, 

25,00 

Martin  Barnes,     . 

5,00 

Ephraim  Tufts,    . 

15,00 

David  Puffer, 

3,00 

Ephraim  Tufts,  Jr., 

3,00 

Miles  Gardner,      . 

2,00 

James  and  John  Peabody,     . 

10,00 

John  P.  Wyman, 

5,00 

Josiah  Crosby, 

5,00 

John  P.  Squires,    . 

5,00 

Orrin  Robinson,    . 

3,00 

George  Pierce, 

50,00 

Samuel  Butterlield, 

20,00 

Walter  Fletcher,  . 

25,00 

T.  P.  Pierce, 

6,00 

THE    TORNADO. 

( 

John  A.  P.  Pierce, 

5,00 

Ebenezer  P.  Pierce, 

5,00 

S.  F.  Woodbridge, 

5,00 

Elijah  Cutter, 

10,00 

6P 


AMOUNT  DISTRIBUTED  IN  WEST  CAMBRIDGE. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  distribute 
the  moneys  collected  for  the  sufferers  by  the 
late  tornado,  in  West  Cambridge,  have  at- 
tended to  the  duty  assigned, them,  and  submit 
the  following  Report.  They  find  the  moneys 
subscribed  by  the  citizens  of  the  town  for 
the  purposes  aforesaid,  to  amount  to  the  sum 
of  twelve  hundred  and  nineteen  dollars.  And 
they  have  awarded  to  the  persons,  whose 
names  are  hereunder  written,  the  sums  set 
against  their  respective  names,  viz. 


To  Stephen  Fogg, 

.      $50,00 

Horace  Wilson,     . 

25,00 

Widow  Amos  Frost, 

75,00 

Oliver  Russell, 

75,00 

Widow  Phebe  Swan,    . 

.      225,00 

Michael  McCarthy, 

10,00 

William  L.  Clark, 

60,00 

68 


y                             THE    TORNADO. 

Thomas  Thorpe,           .        .       1 

25,00 

Mrs.  Thomas  Thorpe,  . 

50,00 

Thomas  E.  Thorpe,      . 

40,00 

Mrs.  Daniel  Burbeck,    . 

25,00 

P.  B.  Fessenden, 

50,00 

J.  Jerome  Fessenden,    . 

50,00 

George  H.  Fessenden, 

50,00 

John  P.  Daniels,  . 

14,00 

Luke  Agur, 

30,00 

James  Wyman,  2d, 

25,00 

Gershom  Whittemore,  . 

40,00 

Widow  Henry  Swan,    . 

20,00 

Widow  David  Damon, 

25,00 

Thomas  R.  Gushing,     . 

24,00 

Samuel  C.  Buckman,    . 

40,00 

George  Prentiss,  Jr.,      . 

25,00 

Thaddeus  Frost,  . 

25,00 

Charles  Hill, 

30,00 

James  M.  Wyman, 

20,00 

$is 

J19,60 

James  Russell, 

John  Field, 

1   Com- 
'  mittee. 

Abner  Pierce,  ' 
John  Jaevis, 

Geo.  C.  Russell, 

West  Cambridge,  Oct.  ^0,  1851. 

THE    TORNADO. 


WALTHAM. 

The  following  account  in  relation  to  Wal- 
tham  has  been  kindly  furnished  by  Mansir 
W.  Marsh,  Esq.,  of  West  Cambridge. 

The  tornado,  after  passing  the  lands  of 
George  Lyman,  Esq.  where  its  track  is  plain- 
ly visible,  crossed  lands  of  Dea.  Leonard 
Lawrence,  Jacob  Lawrence,  Charles  Ken- 
dall, Mr.  Sanger  and  others,  doing  consid- 
erable damage  to  fruit  and  other  trees,  des- 
troying the  fruit  and  other  crops,  as  far  as 
the  street  called  North  street.  The  damage  ^ 
thus  far  is  not  very  serious,  and  cannot  be 
very  accurately  estimated,  say  $500,00 

At  this  point  it  became  very  violent,  [and 
the  buildings  of  Messrs.  Robert  Baldwin  & 
Sons  were  very  badly  injured.  A  portion 
of  the  roofs  of  both  house  and  barn  were 
carried  away,  and  two  or  three  sheds.  Sev- 
eral swarms  of  bees  with  the  fruit  of  their 
labor  were  destroyed,  and  their  tenements 
demolihsed.  The  bees  themselves  taking  im- 
mediate possession  of  the  dwelling  house  of 
the    elder    Mr.   Baldwin,   the  rightful   oc- 


70  THE    TORNADO. 

cupants  for  the  lime  being,  were  compelled 
to  beat  a  retreat.  The  Messrs.  Baldwins 
lost  many  valuable  fruit  trees,  with  fruit  and 
other  crops.  Their  loss  is  estimated  at  not 
less  than  ....         $1000,00 

The  dwelling  house  of  Mr.  Nathan  Law- 
rence was  partly  unroofed,  and  the  shed  at- 
tached to  it  turned  round.  A  part  of  the 
roof  of  Mr.  Lawrence's  barn  (a  new  one,) 
was  carried  away,  and  the  back  side  blown 
out.  Mr.  Lawrence  lost  nearly  all  his  fruit 
trees.     His  loss  may  be  estimated  at  about    $  500,00 

Mr.  Sullivan  Wellington,  tenant  to  Mr. 
Lawrence,  lost  a  quantity  of  hay  blown  out 
of  the  barn.  Also,  a  lot  of  salt  hay  which 
lay  in  heaps  in  the  field,  with  the  whole  of 
his  fruit  crop,  &c.,  estimated  at  about  $200,00 

Mr.  Sawyer  had  two  sheds  carried  away, 
with  considerable  other  damage,  estimat- 
ed at  .  .  ,  .  $300,00 

Mr.  Jacob  Lawrence  sustained  considera- 
ble loss  in  fruit  and  fruit  trees,  .  $  300,00 

The  tornado  pursued  its  course  across 
rock  meadow,  and  with  great  violence  en- 
countered the  buildings  of  the  Messrs.  Ken- 
dalls. The  estimated  amount  of  damage 
done  to  the  estate  of  the  late  Josiah  Ken- 
dall may  be  set  down  perhaps  at  about  $400,00 


THE    TORNADO.  71 

The  house  and  out-buildings  of  Mr.  David 
Kendall  were  badly  damaged,  some  of  them 
almost  entirely  demolished.  A  very  fine 
grove  a  short  distance  from  the  house,  with 
nearly  all  of  Mr.  Kendall's  fruit  trees,  were 
almost  wholly  destroyed.  Mr.  Kendall's 
loss  may  be  set  down  at  .  .  $  600,00 

This  brings  us  to  the  line  of  the  town 
of  West  Cambridge,  and  to  the  house  owned 
by  Mr.  James  Brown.  After  passing  the 
buildings  of  the  Messrs.  Kendalls  some  lit- 
tle distance,  the  violence  of  the  gale  seems 
to  have  abated,  at  least  on  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  and  not  much  damage  was  done 
until  it  had  passed  the  house  of  Mr.  Brown, 
referred  to  above. 

Whole  amount  of  damage  in  the  town  of 
Waltham,  as  estimated,  above       .       .        $4000,00 

The  Selectmen  of  Waltham  were  written  to  and 
requested  to  furnish  a  statement  of  the  damage,  sus- 
tained by  their  townsmen,  but  they  not  having  com- 
plied with  that  request,  I  have  been  induced  to  pre- 
pare the  foregoing  statement,  not  however  with  any 
careful  survey  of  the  premises,  but  wholly  from  cas- 
ual observation  and  from  recollection. 

Mansir  W.  Marsh. 


72  THE    TORNADO. 


NOTE  TO  THE  READER. 


We  have  given  in  this  work  a  general  idea  of  the 
Tornado  and  its  work  of  destruction,  and  many  par- 
ticular facts  have  also  been  stated;  but  there  is  an  in- 
numerable number  of  facts  which  might  be  stated,  of 
great  interest  to  the  general  reader,  and  which  we 
shall  state  in  another  little  work  upon  this  subject,  if 
the  call  for  this  is  sufficient  to  warrant  it.  We  pur- 
pose in  the  next  to  present  drawings,  representing 
different  scenes.  To  those  who  desire  the  facts  in  the 
case,  this  work  will  be  particularly  valuable,  and  we 
trust  not  altogether  uninteresting  to  the  people  gen- 
erally. Such  a  wonderful  display  of  God's  power, 
was  never  before  seen  in  this  portion  of  the  country ; 
so  great  a  destruction  of  buildings,  trees,  fences,  and 
fruit,  was  never  known  in  this  State ;  and  we  may 
add,  with  gratitude  to  God,  that  such  a  miraculous 
preservation  of  life  and  limb,  amidst  this  scene  of 
devastation,  was  never  before  known.  The  work, 
such  as  it  is,  we  now  give  to  the  public. 

J.  M.  Usiip:r. 


M105275 


M7B' 


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